Starlight
by TrustNoOne182
Summary: Zutara 2017 - Starlight. Zuko and Katara fall in love, it just takes him a little while to realize it. Zutara oneshot, with lots of fluff!


**A/N: When I found out it was Zutara week I was thrilled! Of all the prompts Starlight was one I knew I could so something with. Its sweet, its fully, but most important its Zutara. This is set years after the end of the show, so they're in their early twenties. Enjoy!**

* * *

In the starlight everything looked different. With Katara everything always looked different-she had a way of doing that. She brightened every room she was in and everyone she met was genuinely happy to see her. Even in the Fire Nation people loved her. It was eerie to watch as Katara picked her way through the crowded festival, wove among Fire Nation citizens and looked completely at home. For a moment he allowed himself to imagine that this was her home. He imagined taking her home at the end of the festival, laughing over what they had seen, and then falling asleep together.

Later than evening they were back at the palace, Katara had gone to her room and Zuko assumed she went to sleep. It was only when he was out wandering late that night that he found her. She was standing on a balcony watching the sky, her hair seemed to glimmer in the starlight.

He watched her for another moment before joining her. He leaned against the railing and looked over at her. She didn't look at him-she continued to watch the sky.

"The sky looks so different from here than it does at home. The starlight is so constant, it's truly beautiful," Katara finally said. Zuko just nodded, his eyes also scanning the stars.

"Sometimes I forget you're from the Southern Water Tribe, it seems like you've always just been…" _(With me.)_ He trailed off at that point not wanting to say what he was thinking. She laughed and then looped her arm through his.

Though she had only been staying at the palace for a week things seemed different. She was friendly, more open and had been more affectionate with him than she had ever been in the past. It was not intimate, but he couldn't help but wonder if it could lead to something more intimate.

"Can we go walk the grounds? Is the Fire Lord allowed to do that in the middle of night?"

"I'm sure I'll be safe with a master waterbender." She laughed and they made their way to the grounds, their arms still looped together.

"How long can you stay?" Zuko asked. He had meant to ask how long she was going to stay and now worried that he sounded desperate. He was desperate. Desperate for her to stay with him and build a life there with him.

"Why? Do you need me for something?"

"I just like it when you're here," Zuko responded softly.

They stopped at the edge of a pond and sat down on the bench overlooking it. Katara flicked her wrist back and forth as they sat, gently twisting and playing with the water. He loved to watch her bend, even when she was doing it more out of reflex than practice.

"I can stay as long as you want me here, just so long as you don't forget about me and get too busy with your Fire Lord duties," Katara finally said. The water she had been bending fell still as she shifted her body so she was facing him.

A strand of hair had fallen into her eyes, without thinking Zuko brushed it behind her ear and then let his hand fall back to his lap. They lapsed back into a comfortable silence until it was time to go back inside.

* * *

That summer it became a habit of theirs to meet at night, long after everyone had gone to sleep and wander the palace. They tended to end up outside-Katara felt more free being outside under the stars than she did in a large building. They would hold hands and talk, or they would remain silent as they walked. As the summer began to wind down and the sign of autumn approached Zuko began to wonder if Katara was planning to go home soon. Three months was a long time to spend in the Fire Nation, especially for someone used to the harsh climate of the South Pole.

He was sitting by the edge of the pond one night when Katara showed up, earlier than usual. He stood up to greet her, startled by her sudden appearance.

"Katara, is everything okay?" Zuko asked her. She didn't look any different than usual, but he still worried something was wrong.

"Of course, Zuko, I was hoping to find you out here."

Without any explanation she grabbed his hand and tugged on it until he followed her. She refused to answer any questions regarding where they were going, so eventually he gave up asking. After about ten minutes she stopped. They were in the middle of a small clearing, just on the outskirts of the palace grounds. It was a place Zuko knew about but had never visited. He noticed there was a blanket arranged a few feet away from them.

They lay down on the blanket and looked up at the sky. Zuko looked over at Katara and found she was looking at him. A blush colored her cheeks when she realized he was watching her. She giggled, then scooted closer and placed her head on the crook of his shoulder and draped her arm across his stomach. His hand rested on hip, and as they lay there he was surprised by how comfortable and familiar it felt to lay with her.

"Is this your way of telling me you're leaving? Break it to me with a lovely evening of stargazing," Zuko asked. He had meant it as a joke but also hoped it wasn't true.

Instead of answering she sat up just enough to bring their lips together. It was barely a kiss and when it was over she moved to lay back down. Zuko let her lay there for a moment before he leaned down to kiss her.

The second kiss lasted much longer and grew heated. By the time they broke apart Katara was straddling his hips and Zuko's fingers were tangled deep in her hair. They went back to watching the sky until they couldn't take it any longer and they were drawn together again. They spent the rest of the night in a similar pattern.

When the sun started to rise they got up, folded the blanket and headed back to the palace. Zuko kept his arm around Katara the entire way there, and when he dropped her off at her room he kissed her once more, just lightly on the cheek.

* * *

A few weeks later there was a soft knock on her door and then Zuko slipped inside. Katara was sitting at her desk and writing a letter to Sokka when he entered. It was unusual for him to enter her chambers, especially late at night and unannounced.

"Zuko, what are you doing here?" Katara asked. He closed the distance between them and pulled her in for a desperate kiss. She eagerly responded to the kiss, thoughts of the letter she had been writing falling completely from her mind.

"Please stay with me. Please stay here forever," Zuko rasped as he started kissing her neck. She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around him, allowing him to steer her toward the bed.

"I'm not going anywhere, did someone tell you otherwise?" Katara's knees hit the edge of the bed. She climbed onto it and Zuko followed her; he didn't settle on top of her instead he settled beside her.

"Zuko, why did you come here?" Katara asked. She sat up and looked down at him. His hair was falling out of his topknot and his robes were askew. He looked like he needed her, but in more than a carnal way.

"Katara, will you stay here longer? Please?" He didn't look at her as he spoke.

"How long do you want me to stay?"

"Forever."

Katara caught his gaze and didn't drop it, her eyes were not wide in surprise, much to Zuko's relief. She placed her hand gently on his thigh and gave it a light squeeze.

"Zuko, what is this really about?" She moved closer to him and placed her head on his chest, slowly situating herself into his arms.

"I am well past marrying age. There's talk of suitors."

Katara started laughing. This was not the response he was looking for, but before he could get angry she climbed into his lap and cupped his cheeks in her hand.

"Are you asking me to marry you, Fire Lord?" Katara teased. He gripped her hips and then nodded. She laughed again and then kissed him, settling into his lap as she deepened the kiss.

"Is that a yes?" Zuko asked some time later.

"Of course, Zuko. I've been waiting for you to ask for the last few months."

"Months?!"

"Yes, months. You may be handsome but you are not the brightest." She teased as she ran her fingers through his hair. "I love you, Zuko," she said softly as she placed butterfly soft kisses on his neck.

"I love you too, Katara."

"I know." Zuko rolled his eyes but wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly.

 **Two Years Later**

Katara stood on the balcony, looking out at the stars. She had been standing there a few minutes when Zuko slipped his arms around her, his hands coming to rest on her belly.

"The baby feels like a firebender, there's some aggressive kicking going on," Zuko said in her ear. She chuckled and then turned around to face him.

"You know this child could be a non-bender. That would make Sokka proud."

"No, I specifically remember thinking about only fire related things as we created him."

"Him?"

"Yes, firebender and a boy."

Katara rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the sky. Zuko looped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Nights like these make me think of that summer we fell in love," Katara said.

"You mean the summer we spent all our free time together and yet I worried you would get bored and leave me?"

Katara chuckled and leaned her head back against his shoulder. "You failed to notice that for all of your worry I never left, the thought never even crossed my mind."

"I was busy with my Fire Lord duties."

"Yes, I know all about your duties."

They stood and watched the stars for a few more minutes before Katara turned to go inside. That night as he fell asleep Zuko remembered the festival where he imagined his life with Katara. It was more than he had imagined-it was better.

 **The End**

 **A/N: I hope you liked it. This is my first Zutara story, and I may do more down the road. Until next time!**


End file.
